We have a 4 br house that sleeps 7 people with 2 living areas and a pool. What do you charge for cleaning for a similar space? Also do you make up beds for guests or do you leave sheets for guests to make up their own beds? Thx!
You need to research similar properties in your area, as cleaning costs are pretty much dependent on local labour costs.
With regard to making up beds, I would be really surprised to arrive and be expected to do this! Also, itâs part of good presentation of your place when guests arrive. As you donât live there, guests are responsible for making (or notâŚ) their own beds after arrival, apart from a bed linen change every 5-7 days, depending on your choice.
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As a guest I fully expect the host to have the bed made up and ready for me to crash in when I arrive. If not, the host will be downgradedâŚ
As a host it is part of my R&R cleaning duty to make the bed, hang the towels, sweep, mop, dust, empty the trash, stock the fridge, coffee/tea, and bathroom with expendables. I would consider doing no less, even if itâs six one-night changeovers in a row.
Without a clue as to where you are I canât begin to suggest a cleaning fee. I can strongly suggest that you not do the âslum landlordâ trick of making your per night price really cheap and then charging an outrageous cleaning fee. Iâve seen several places that charge $25 or $30 per night, but with a $200 cleaning fee. I never recommend staying in a place like that.
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I rent out a house with 3 bedrooms and five beds, sleeps 8. I charge a $65 cleaning fee and I make all the beds. I put out clean towels right on the bed. I donât have them make the beds because Iâm charging $150+ a night and I think they would be upset if they had to make their own beds. It takes me about an hour to make all five beds since I like to âjazz them upâ. I use a quilt, a duvet with cover, pillow shams, etc. I based my cleaning fee on what other hosts in my area were charging. I have noticed that it varies from region to region.
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Definitely make the beds! It looks great, and you know lazy guests wonât leave the duvet cover off, or not tuck the bottom sheet in properly, thereby creating a much more serious cleaning problem for you!
With guests who stay more than a week I have a spare set of covers in the drawers under the bed. I invite them to change it when they feel, and I will wash and dry the other set for them. In reality most guests canât be bothered. I even had one guest go a whole month. Eeuw!
I agree, it seems a dumb strategy - the sort of people attracted to $25/night will back out when they see the $200 cleaning fee is to added and the sort of people who can afford $225/night wonât click on a property advertised at $25/night. Also suggest the host is a bit shifty.
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I have two bunk beds which are very hard for me to make as I canât bed over but I can just about get the fitted undersheet on while sitting on them. And pillows in pillowcases. Then I fold the doona/duvet/quilt and leave the folded top sheet on that. Some people donât use the top sheet anyway (a topic that has been covered extensively on this very forum). So even if you did decide to not make the beds, at a minimum put on the fitted under sheet and leave the other sheets, blankets or quilts folded neatly on top. Though by that stage you are already 3/4 to having made the bed.
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Oh I donât know! I find the duvet cover the most difficult part by far. I tried the Californian roll/ burrito method, but never got the hang âŚ
Iâm the same. That burrito method is daft. But to do it the normal way is easy.
- Put inside out cover on bed, opening at the bottom of the bed
- Lay duvet on top
- Scoot left hand inside up left hand seam of cover and grab duvet corner. Repeat with right hand side
- Pull, smooth and fasten the bottom of the cover
Thatâs quite a stylish way to do it that lots of hotels do. Fitted sheet, pillows in pillowcases and one folded duvet per person. Bottom bed runner/blanket optional
This is what I do at home. I like a duvet all year round. Himself likes a sheet in warm weather so sometimes itâs a folded sheet on his side. Looks pretty swish really and making the bed takes just a few moments 
thanks I will try the burrito method. Currently I go IN and find the corners and try my best as have to do the whole thing sitting down. Thks for the tip.
I once had someone drag a double mattress up four flights of stairs so me and my then bf could sleep in the same bed. I think they were worried we would be offended if put in separate beds. I explained it wasnât an issue and when we booked hotel rooms in his home country (Poland) we always asked for two singles because those Poles are a bit old fashioned.
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@jaquo. I love the green you used in the bedroom. I have that in the kitchen of a condo I loved. It is called âasparagus greenâ by Behr because it really is the color of cooked the asparagus. The âtileâ is actually Behr strawberry daiquiri paint. The adjacent room was Lemon sorbet. For whatever reason, the paints I chose were foodie names.
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Joan is correct; the local market determines what you do.
My Winston Salem condo where I am directly competing with hotels, min rental 3 nights, $95 cleaning fee (I actually pay $125 but Airbnb market is less so I build part of it in my rental fee). Beds are fully made. Towels are decoratively placed.
My North Myrtle Beach condos with no cleaning fees & no linen fees (the guest does their own exit cleaningâthere is another thread where this is discussed in detail & it works for me) beds are not made for the prior guest. It is common for guests to bring their own towels & linens because the owner doesnât offer them or like with my condo, linens are available but the guest must wash, dry & stow them before they leave.
Guest A doesnât know if Guest B is brining their own linens so they donât make the beds when they leave. Guests know the linen rules when they book.
Iâve only had one complaint in 3 years about the beds not being made. When I reminded the guest they were saving the usual $150-$200 cleaning fee plus $75 linen fee that others in my area charge, it was all forgiven.